If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Anyone else sober... All the time?

I don't drink. Never did. Not sure why. I was just real late to the party and one day it just became part of my identity. I became "the sober guy". I figured eventually it would stop being a big deal, that as I got older my contemporaries would sober up a bit and the distinction would fade. I'm turning 35 this year and that eventuality has failed to materialize. And I don't think it's that I just happen to associate with a bunch of drunks.

I own a family entertainment center (a bowling alley) where we do not have a bar. As a consequence it is exceedingly difficult to build and retain adult bowling leagues. To the point where we are probably scrapping them next year in favor of being able to do more private birthday parties. It seems to me that every social activity in adult life is centered around the availability of alcohol. That maybe why I enjoy paintball as much as I do.

I don't mean this as a criticism of anyone who does drink. Even the people I inferred above are by and large responsible social drinkers (most of the time).

So on to the titular question. I can count on thee fingers the number of adults I know that sober all the time. Two of them are in recovery. One of them is just not a social person at all. So are any of you always Sober? If so, why?

oh and as for why, I've seen peoples lives ruined by drugs and my mom had a thing for alcoholic abusive rolemodels for me. I never want to find out who I become when I drink. I've seen the worst in people and I've nursed many people back from dangerously drunken states

Never drank, smoked, or done drugs. Just never saw a point in it. That is an expense I don't need. Good money that could go elsewhere. Don't really drink soda or buy much junk food either. Idk. Just not me. And I'm about to be 31. My motorcycle. And now paintball again. Can eat my spare money. I do agree. Alcohol does dictate where a lot of my friends are willing to go at times.

I went from stillin' my own liquor and brewing my own beer to zero alcohol for about 5 1/2 months now. I was having two pints a night and maybe a few sips of the old 180 shine... and now nothing. It sucks. Wish I had a homebrew right now and it's 2:30AM here. It's not that I crave it or need it or addicted or anything... I just love kicking back with an ice cold homebrew and pondering how awesome I am for creating something so tasty. I imagine that's how Chuck Norris feels all the time.

When I get on home on R+R here in 2 weeks, I'm going spend almost all the time eating chipotle, shooting, and golfing/boozing. Then it'll be back to no drinks or chipotle for several more months.

I went from stillin' my own liquor and brewing my own beer to zero alcohol for about 5 1/2 months now. I was having two pints a night and maybe a few sips of the old 180 shine... and now nothing. It sucks. Wish I had a homebrew right now and it's 2:30AM here. It's not that I crave it or need it or addicted or anything... I just love kicking back with an ice cold homebrew and pondering how awesome I am for creating something so tasty. I imagine that's how Chuck Norris feels all the time.

When I get on home on R+R here in 2 weeks, I'm going spend almost all the time eating chipotle, shooting, and golfing/boozing. Then it'll be back to no drinks or chipotle for several more months.

better bring your own ammo , can't find any over here unless you want to pay a dollar a round !!!
I assume you are serving my / our country ?? THANKS for your service

Was never able to afford drugs or alcohol. To busy using all my money on paintball.

I have only gotten **** wasted a few times in my life. Once before high-school after the death of a few close friends unnaturally, that threw me into a depression but I never touched it during depression and I became so attached to paintball and my team that I felt they were the only things keeping me here at a time. Years later and a few relatives died, only one of natural causes. Then a few months later a significant amount of my close friends died in unrelated causes and times that were all yet again unnatural causes except for one. I got wasted that one time with a few other friends because it seemed I was just coming out of secret depressive slump. Took a few years and after some tough stuff I wen through with my self and had to become a self-supported teen it finally started to pick up for me. I never toke to the drink because of family history of my relatives having a tough time with alcohol and my near pure Irish heritage. It was a life I wanted to turn away from and the few times I got drunk most my friends sympathized with me and helped me through and felt I had every reason to do what I was doing. So I have gotten drunk well under 5 times and those were the only times I ever tasted alcohol besides that church wine when I was still catholic. 4 of the times I was drunk I was under-aged. Plus the tough relationship I had with my parents even before my teens. My mom was never a good parent and my father stood by my side and taught me how to be a man and become self supportive and successful person I am today. Once I finally got out of my tough patch in life with death and abandonment I felt no need for alcohol or drugs and never touched them from the age of 20 on wards. I have always feared if I go to alcohol I will become addicted and have a hard time going back.

So I really hope to stay away from alcohol and drugs and I have no desire or want to go towards them. I have no need for it and for the effects it has the human body and mind.

Never drank,did drugs or smoked. Just not a real temptation. I know I am a obsessive personality type. So I probably knew deep down I could get addicted. There was too much I wanted to do with my life, so I stayed away.

tell me, even if you don't partake, why would your bowling ally not sever? not like them having it makes you have to drink, esp if you have already lived 35 years of your life without?

We are located in what is basically a dry town. They only issue beer and wine licenses to restaurants. Even if we had the space, I have no desire to be in the restaurant biz. If we could get a license I'm still not sure we would. 90% of our customers are families with young children. It's Candlepin Bowling which is much more suited to kids than Ten Pin (what most of the country just calls "Bowling").

We have a competitor the next town over that kicks all of the under 21's out at 6pm. We pick up allot of that roll over. Plus people seem to really appreciate that we are family friendly all of the time.

I'm straight edge and I've never had a sip of alcohol in my life, it doesn't bother me if other people drink though, I could really care less. It actually seems like many times I end up hanging out with drunk/stoned people, which I think they're entertaining to watch.

I think I have I pics of Behemoth, Senheng, Neppo, and I drinking Jagermeister & Redbull at a paintball field out of stock-class 10 round tubes. Other than that, we were sober that day while playing paintball - lol.

If PGP owns the alley that I think he does, it's definitely a place for kids and families. Cosmic bowling (blacklights etc) and a decently large arcade, pizza kitchen and party room, prize center for ticket redemption, etc.

There were two other alleys in the area, and I know the owner of the one that went out of business (Fast Lanes in Hudson) which didn't have food or a full arcade, just bottled drinks, an oxygen bar, and a vending machine. I was a regular because it was low key and the guy who ran it was awesome, but it couldn't compete with (what I assume is...) PGPs alley for kids, and the one in the neighboring town designed for adults with pool and a bar.

By the way, in MA and much of New England, candlepin is the standard. Even the big facilities in the city (Lanes 'N Games, Saccos, etc) offer both 10pin and candlepin, with a focus on the latter.

If PGP owns the alley that I think he does, it's definitely a place for kids and families. Cosmic bowling (blacklights etc) and a decently large arcade, pizza kitchen and party room, prize center for ticket redemption, etc.

There were two other alleys in the area, and I know the owner of the one that went out of business (Fast Lanes in Hudson) which didn't have food or a full arcade, just bottled drinks, an oxygen bar, and a vending machine. I was a regular because it was low key and the guy who ran it was awesome, but it couldn't compete with (what I assume is...) PGPs alley for kids, and the one in the neighboring town designed for adults with pool and a bar.

By the way, in MA and much of New England, candlepin is the standard. Even the big facilities in the city (Lanes 'N Games, Saccos, etc) offer both 10pin and candlepin, with a focus on the latter.

LOL that's about as good a guess as you could have made. My family has run that particular center since the 40's. My brother is the current owner. My wife and I own a much smaller center closer to Boston.

I grew up on the MA/NH border and did not realize until I was an adult, that other people did not have candlepin bowling in their areas. It made me very sad for them when I did realize it. There is also "duckpin" bowling in the mid-atlantic states I believe, it is the most bizarre if you ask me.

I'll have a beer once in a blue moon, same for wine or spirits. Can't say I remember when I last got drunk, must've been at least 15 years ago. I just don't see the enjoyment in it. Love the taste, not the hangover.

LOL that's about as good a guess as you could have made. My family has run that particular center since the 40's. My brother is the current owner. My wife and I own a much smaller center closer to Boston.

I've been bowling there since... well it feels like the 1940s LOL

Great place - I took a bit of a hiatus when my guy Ross was running Fast Lanes in Hudson, but these days the Bowladrome is my place (unless I'm in Cambridge, then I do Lanes 'N Games). Actons a dry town too as I recall, so I figured that was your place - I just didn't account for a family full of bowling alley proprietors!